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Rehabilitate Lincoln Reflecting Pool and Rehabilitate Surrounding Area
National Mall and Memorial Parks » Rehabilitate Lincoln Reflecting Pool and Rehabilitate Surrounding Area » Document List
The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of the Environmental Assessment (EA) for public review and comment for the Rehabilitation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and Surrounding Area. This project will be funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). It will provide for much needed repairs and improvements to this major feature in the Nation's capital as well as contribute to the local economic recovery.
This EA evaluates two alternatives, the preferred alternative and the no action alternative, and also describes those alternatives considered but dismissed. The proposed action includes new permanent walkways along the north and south sides of the Reflecting Pool and the refurbishment of the paving, site furnishings and lighting (which will be made permanent) on the Elm Walks. It will include refurbishment of the lower approachway as well as new accessible pedestrian paths up to the Memorial plaza. The temporary vehicular barriers on the east side of the Memorial plaza will be replaced with permanent barriers which will be integrated into the new accessible pedestrian walkways in a manner that is much more consistent with the historic character of the Memorial's design.
The proposed action will also address structural deficiencies in the Reflecting Pool itself. Engineering analysis has shown that differential soil settlement has compromised the pool's structural system. The stress on the foundation, joints, and coping has caused pervasive water leakage which, along with evaporation, constitutes a substantial loss of water every year. The pool currently uses potable municipal water and has no circulation or filtration systems to keep the water clean. The proposed project will also explore alternative water sources and sustainable methods for improving the water quality. The alternative selected in the EA will be further developed into preliminary and final designs which will be subject to additional review by the National Park Service, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the Commission of Fine Arts.
To request a hard copy, please e-mail Perry Wheelock at Perry_Wheelock@nps.gov and provide us with your mailing address. To ensure the quickest turn-around time, please note in the subject line "REQUEST FOR HARD COPY – LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING POOL EA."
Public review copies of the EA will also be available at the following locations:
Martin Luther King Library
901 G St NW
Washington, DC 20001
Southeast Branch Library
403 7th Street, SE,
Washington DC 20003
Southwest Branch Library
900 Wesley Place, SW,
Washington DC 20024
National Park Service – National Capital Region
1100 Ohio Drive Southwest
Washington, DC 20242
Note to Reviewers and Respondents:
If you wish to comment on the EA, you may submit them electronically or mail comments directly. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Comments on the Rehabilitation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and Surrounding Area EA may be mailed directly to:
Terri Urbanowski
National Park Service - Denver Service Center
12795 West Alameda Parkway, Lakewood,
CO 80288-2838
RE: Rehabilitation of the Reflecting Pool EA
Comments on the EA will be accepted through January 29, 2010.
Thank you for your interest and participation in this process.
Sincerely,
John Piltzecker
Superintendent - National Mall and Memorial Parks
National Park Service - National Capital Region
Chief, Resource Management
202-245-4711
This EA evaluates two alternatives, the preferred alternative and the no action alternative, and also describes those alternatives considered but dismissed. The proposed action includes new permanent walkways along the north and south sides of the Reflecting Pool and the refurbishment of the paving, site furnishings and lighting (which will be made permanent) on the Elm Walks. It will include refurbishment of the lower approachway as well as new accessible pedestrian paths up to the Memorial plaza. The temporary vehicular barriers on the east side of the Memorial plaza will be replaced with permanent barriers which will be integrated into the new accessible pedestrian walkways in a manner that is much more consistent with the historic character of the Memorial's design.
The proposed action will also address structural deficiencies in the Reflecting Pool itself. Engineering analysis has shown that differential soil settlement has compromised the pool's structural system. The stress on the foundation, joints, and coping has caused pervasive water leakage which, along with evaporation, constitutes a substantial loss of water every year. The pool currently uses potable municipal water and has no circulation or filtration systems to keep the water clean. The proposed project will also explore alternative water sources and sustainable methods for improving the water quality. The alternative selected in the EA will be further developed into preliminary and final designs which will be subject to additional review by the National Park Service, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the Commission of Fine Arts.
To request a hard copy, please e-mail Perry Wheelock at Perry_Wheelock@nps.gov and provide us with your mailing address. To ensure the quickest turn-around time, please note in the subject line "REQUEST FOR HARD COPY – LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING POOL EA."
Public review copies of the EA will also be available at the following locations:
Martin Luther King Library
901 G St NW
Washington, DC 20001
Southeast Branch Library
403 7th Street, SE,
Washington DC 20003
Southwest Branch Library
900 Wesley Place, SW,
Washington DC 20024
National Park Service – National Capital Region
1100 Ohio Drive Southwest
Washington, DC 20242
Note to Reviewers and Respondents:
If you wish to comment on the EA, you may submit them electronically or mail comments directly. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Comments on the Rehabilitation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and Surrounding Area EA may be mailed directly to:
Terri Urbanowski
National Park Service - Denver Service Center
12795 West Alameda Parkway, Lakewood,
CO 80288-2838
RE: Rehabilitation of the Reflecting Pool EA
Comments on the EA will be accepted through January 29, 2010.
Thank you for your interest and participation in this process.
Sincerely,
John Piltzecker
Superintendent - National Mall and Memorial Parks
National Park Service - National Capital Region
Contact Information
Perry WheelockChief, Resource Management
202-245-4711